MEXICO Government and Political Culture
How did Colonialism affect the cultural and political development of Mexico? Hernan Cortes Culture Religion Demographics Mestizos Economics Ethnic cleavages
Historical Background Independence Movement 1810 1821 Hidalgo Agustin Iturbide - Era of the Caudillos Mexican American War 1846 1848
Policy Swings between control by the elite, the church, and the military (conservatives) v. control by Juarez War of the Reforms French Takeover Revolution against France
The Porfiriato Porfirio Diaz 1876 1911 Neocolonialism Railroads Industrialization Agribusinesses Oppression of Indians and anyone opposed to Diaz Corruption
The Revolution of 1910 Emiliano Zapata - South Pancho Villa - North Francisco Madero challenges Diaz in an election Goals of the Revolution:
Election of 1911 Madero wins, Diaz flees Madero overthrown by Huerta U.S. involvement Revolution continues by Zapata and Villa Huerta is assassinated Carranza takes over
What were the causes of instability in Mexico? How could stability be brought to Mexico?
Effects of the Revolution Era of the Caudillos continues Instability Economic recession Fighting spills over into the U.S. U.S. intervenes to develop a constitution for Mexico and arranges elections under Carranza More assassinations and military control through rigged elections
The PRI and Plutarco Calles The Partido Revolucionario Institucional the Institutional Revolutionary Party The PRI created by Calles Accommodation Cooptation Patronage (the camarilla)
Government Structure Federal 31 states and the federal district, Mexico City Separation of Powers, Checks and Balances Presidential-Congressional System Representative Democracy How did the formation of the PRI shape the democratic principles set up by the Constitution?
Executive Branch President elected directly by the people, sexeno Powers:
Executive under the PRI Head of the party Head of Government Cabinet Bureaucracy civil service Patronage Relations with Congress Relations with the Supreme Court
Legislative Branch Chamber of Deputies 300 elected from single member districts by plurality and 200 by proportional representation, 3 year terms Powers: Term limit
The Senate 128 members 4 from each state and 4 from the federal district 96 elected by plurality 32 by proportional representation 6 year terms, ½ every 3 years Powers Term Limit
Judicial Branch Supreme Court 6 Circuit Courts of Appeal 68 Federal District Courts
State and Local Governments State Governments Mexico City s government - Local governments (counties) = municipios
Lazaro Cardenas PRI President 1934 1940 Nationalization- expropriation of US oil companies Labor unions: CTM Confederation of Mexican Trabajadores (Workers) Nationalization of PEMEX, railroads FSTSE Federation of Unions of Workers in Service to the State
Land Reform Ejidos Ejidatarios CONASUPO CNC National Conferation of Campisinos
How could the PRI claim to have institutionalized the goals of the revolution? Goals: PRI Actions
A and 4 C s How did the PRI maintain control? Accommodation Clientelism (patron client system) Corporatism Cooptation Result of one party control - Corruption
Import Substitute Industrialization State Sponsored Development Autarkic Economy 1940-1982 Parastatals (over 1,150 by 1976) High Tariffs, licenses, regulations State helps private business develop, provides subsidies CONCAMIN and CONCANACO Gov. keeps taxes low and controls unions
Things Fall Apart Too many gov. employees, inflation, corruption, debt Jose Lopez Portillo and oil OPEC embargo 1973 74 Iranian Rev., Hostage Crisis 1979 80 Spending spree on infrastructure, social programs Oil prices drop in 1981, gov. in debt, inflation
Opposition Parties PAN National Action Party Popular in the North Party Platform
How did IMF intervention and the signing of NAFTA affect Mexico s economy? Miguel De la Madrid 1982 1988 (tecnico) negotiates with IMF IMF loans Mexico money to help pay down debt IMF demands that Mexico follows a SAP = Structural Adjustment Program
Economic Crisis Gov. must lower tariffs, allow foreign investment, develop an austerity program, privatize businesses, and collect taxes 1982 20% inflation, 1987 159% inflation 1985 Earthquake Exchange rate for Peso: 1982 56.5 pesos =$1 1987 1460 pesos - $1
PRI splits Cuautemoc Cardenas splits from the PRI with other reformers in 1988 to form the PRD, the Democratic Revolutionary Party Platform:
Neoliberalism (Economic Liberalization) Carlos Salinas de Gortari 1988 1994 Austerity and more privatization Signs GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (a precursor to the WTO) Negotiates NAFTA
NAFTA Signed in 1994 Mexico, U.S. and Canada Tariffs gradually are reduced over 15 years More foreign investment especially by US Maquiladoras assembly plants in northern Mexico Regional Cleavages: North v. South
Regional Cleavages Zapatista Revolution led by Subcommandante Marcos in Chiapas
Effects of the IMF s SAP How did the IMF and the austerity program affect the corporatist structure? The policy of accommodation? The patron client system? The power of cooptation?
Election 1994 Corruption PRI split between reformistas and dinosaurios Dedazo nominee Donaldo Colosio, a tecnico willing to reform PRI, is assassinated Ernesto Zedillo PRI tecnico
Zedillo s Rule Continues neoliberalism Negotiates with the Zapatistas Changes nomination process, primaries Federal Election Institute Election of Mayor of Mexico City Supreme Court justices serve life terms, have judicial review
Peso Crisis Causes: Solution:
PRI begins to lose control 1989 PAN wins first governorship 1994 Colosio assassination, PRI splits PRI has less money to buy support, corporatism and patron client system break down 1997 PRI wins only 38 % of the Chamber of Deputies vote, C. Cardenas becomes mayor of Mexico City in 1997 2000 Vicente Fox from PAN is President
How did the PRI manage to maintain control of the country for Methods: so long? How did the PRI develop political legitimacy? How was Mexico an authoritarian system? How did the PRI benefit Mexico? How did the PRI lose control of Mexico? Is Mexico a democracy now?
Constitutional Principles since 2000 How does the system of separation of powers and checks and balances and federalism work today in contrast to the PRI Era (1924 2000)? How is civil society different today than it was under the PRI s control?
2006 Election Results 2003 Andre Lopez Obrador PRD elected mayor of Mexico City, candidate for President in 2006 2006 Felipe Calderon PAN - President Chamber of Deputies PAN - 206, PRI - 121, PRD 136, Other 37 Senate PAN 52, PRI 32, PRD 30, Other 14 PRI - 19 governorships
Results of 2009 Elections Chamber of Deputies PRI 241 seats PAN 147 seats PRD 72 seats Others 40 seats Senate PAN 52, PRI 35, PRD 31, Other 10 PRI gained more governorships
Presidential Election 2012 Candidates PAN Josefina Vasquez Mota 25% PRD Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador 32% PRI Enrique Pena Nieto 38%
Congressional Election 2012 Chamber of Deputies PRI 207 PAN 114 PRD 100 PVEM 34 PT 19 Others 26
Senate PRI 52 PAN 38 PRD 22 PVEM 9 Others 7
Executive Branch Power Today President as head of the party Role as Head of Government Cabinet Bureaucracy civil service Patronage exists but is reduced Relations with Congress Role of the Supreme Court
How has the political culture shifted since the 2000 election? New Social Movements independent labor unions, Peasant Social Indigenous Popular Front, environmental interest groups, women s rights, campaigns to end violence, rural movements, social justice campaigns Cleavages Political Participation Media
Policy Issues Poverty, Income Gap measured by GINI Index Top 10% has 41% of the income Bottom 10% has 1.6% PROGRESA Relationship with the US Immigration: Bracero Program Restrictions Drug War corruption, violence, sovereignty Trade